Publishing books is a major activity pursued by the Ateneo Veneto. Through its publications, it promotes the dissemination of studies in relation with the conditions, the needs and the interests of Venice and the entire region.

The Ateneo Veneto began publishing the proceedings of its cultural activities in 1812, but it is only from the 1940’s that it initiated its very own editorial activity. In 1943, thanks to Lodovico Foscari’s insistence with the then president of the Ateneo, Carlo Dell’Agnola, Foscari emphasised the need of the Ateneo to revive the publishing activity in the city that during the Serenissima was a thriving industry but was later neglected apart from a few sporadic exceptions.

This led to the first agreement with the publishing house Fantoni, to generate dozens of monographs, that were promoted and printed by the Ateneo Veneto in its own editorial capacity, with the help of other printers and publishing companies as well as other agreements with  individual publishers. The agreement excluded the publication of the magazine “Ateneo Veneto”.